A SMALL Princetown brewery has beat off competition from much larger firms to be named best beer at a Westcountry beer festival.

Judges at the Cotswold beer festival were captivated by the taste of Jail Ale and named it overall winner, beating 72 different beers from across the country.

The award was presented to brewer Simon Loveless at the brewery last week.

Tony Aburro, chair of the Gloucestershire branch of CAMRA, Martin Parker, organiser of the Cotswold festival and Ian Packham, CAMRA breweries liaison officer for Princetown brewery all attended the presentation last Friday, (September 13). Mr Aburrow said the brewery had done 'exceptionally well' to pick up the honour of best beer of the festival.

The small Princetown brewery was set up by managing director Simon Loveless, eight years ago, and since then has won a number of prestigious awards.